9 exceptional footballers who are underrated

Think of a footballer! Quick!

Was it Messi? Ronaldo? Rooney? Zlatan?

Now think of a player from a top club.
DONE? I am pretty sure it wasn’t one of the following players mentioned below.
I’ll tell you why they should. When you watch a game, any game, you tend to follow the ball more than the players.
Unless you’re an overpaid judging reporter paid to watch and write about the game-Yeah, It’s the envy.
In any case, here are some players who your eye should catch even when they’re not in the limelight.
ESPECIALLY, when they are not in the limelight.

Michael Carrick – Manchester United.

Put yourself in David Moyes’ shoes (I KNOW I KNOW! But humor me). Who would your first name on the team sheet be?
If you said Wayne Rooney, that’s understandable but not what Moyes or even SAF would do.
Over the past five years, It’s always been Michael Carrick.

That is exactly what I’m talking about.

Michael Carrick is the pivot. If Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie are the lions, he is the lioness.
He hunts the ball. And he feeds them. He is the link that bridges the chasm between defense and midfield and the earthquake that sets of the tsunamis of Manchester United attacks.

I am not going to give you a bunch of rubbish stats which don’t make any sense but I will ask you to watch him. Tear your eyes of Rooney (he isn’t that attractive anyway) and RVP and Mata (they are though) and watch him. With or without the ball.

Ramires – Chelsea.

This tiny little Brazilian (yes, he is a Brazilian) is the engine of the team. Playing the simple passes and making lung bursting runs in attack as well as to track back and nip counters in the bud.
Chelsea have had more managers in recent years than the stars in the observable universe but all of them have constantly picked this guy.

WHAT? Told you he was Brazilian.

If you don’t understand tactics and want me to explain what Ramires does, then think of him as Tazz.
Small, Fast, Full of running, never tired and VERY VERY Dangerous.

Juan Francesco Garcia (Juanfran) – Athletico de Madrid’
Most people probably don’t even know about Atletico Madrid. NO, NOT Real Madrid.
Those who do know, 2 or 3 players from the club- Diego Simeone doesn’t count.
And to the minority who do watch Athletico on a regular basis, you probably rate Costa, Villa, Courtuoououoasse(no one knows how he’s spelt!) and Koke more.

Now Atletico Madrid’s rise in La liga (yes there are other teams in the Spanish league.). But one player who stands out without REALLY standing out is Juanfran.

One of the best right backs right now, he recently won his first Spanish cap- A team at the moment, in which Juan Mata can’t get into. Solid with a mix of aggression and precise crosses, he is one of the vital cogs in Atletico’s challenge to the big two.

Ander Herrera – Athletico Bilbao
Athletico Bilbao are the perennial underachievers of the recent La liga seasons. But during the reign of Marcelo Bielsa and the blossoming of Sergio Aguero and Diego Forlan and Radamel Falcao, they conquered the weaker half of Europe twice.

A key player in this side was Ander Herrera. Solid on the ball, neat in passing, excellent reading of the game, and clean tackling has made Manchester United sit up and offer 35 million for this young starlet.
35 million that was deemed inadequate by the Atheltic board.

Sergio Busquets – Barcelona
Hey I know that team!! Yes, you probably do.
Now it is criminal to claim a player playing for the Catalan giants isn’t a star. But the fact that he is barely mentioned in any statement of top players in Barcelona is truly astounding.
A players’ player, Busquets is someone who has kept out the mighty Yaya Toure forced Javi Mashcerano back to centre-half, and relegated Alex song to the bench.

As well as his football skills though, he is quite the actor. Joining the likes of Ashley young, Neymar, Drogba in ‘Footballers who aspire to be like Michael Phelps’.

6. Blaise Matuidi- Paris Saint-Germain
First off, what an amazing name. I mean don’t you get chills just pronouncing it? Definitely a commentators dream. Hell, I can hear myself screaming his name after a goal!

This is my chance, MATUIDIIIIIIIII!

But, the chances of that happening are very rare. I’m talking about Matuidi scoring a goal, not me becoming a commentator. This is precisely why he isn’t kept on such a high pedestral.
For a midfielder with a tank full of energy, Matuidi is graceful but can also snap at you like a starved piranha. One of the vital cogs in the paris wheel, make no mistake, they are more likely to survive without Ibra than without him.

Luis Neto- Zenit st Petersburg.
Wait, They play football in Mother Russia?
Does Putin even allow that?
Anyway, Luis Neto is a centre-back. In a game where the strikers and goal-scorers are worshipped, it is not surprising to see a defender where credit is not given when due.

This Portuguese international is relatively obscure. But what does shine bright, is his talent.
A top class centre-back- good in the air, can play tight and defend deep, overall a real quality player.

Juan Cuadrado – Fiorentina
The Colombian does not deal in goals, but his energy and work rate all the way up and down the right side of the pitch is invaluable to the Viola.
Cuadrado is most dangerous when picking the ball up in deep areas and given license to drive forward past his opponent into the space behind.

Maybe he’ll be recognized more in the future. If only his hair didn’t look like worms crawling over a coconut.

Tim Howard – Everton.
Hailing from the United states of America, where ‘soccer’ is more or less in the shadows of ‘football’,
Howard was deemed not good enough for Manchester United.
But he has had a second wind at Everton. Under David Moyes and now under Roberto Martinez, Howard
has matured and blossomed into a top class Goal keeper.

‘MURICA!

Commanding in the box, excellent at shot stopping, commendable distribution and a good spring in his dives means he is solid yet spectacular.
Keep a look out for these players and you’ll understand why ballads should be written about these unsung heroes.